Strong Roots named Local Enterprise of the Year at ‘Irish Times’ awards

Having won over grocery retailers in the UK, the food company is now looking to the US

Paul O’Neill, editor of The Irish Times, presents the Local Enterprise of the Year award to Sam Dennigan, CEO and founder of Strong Roots at The Irish Times Business Awards. Photograph: Kieran Harnett
Paul O’Neill, editor of The Irish Times, presents the Local Enterprise of the Year award to Sam Dennigan, CEO and founder of Strong Roots at The Irish Times Business Awards. Photograph: Kieran Harnett

Strong Roots has been named Local Enterprise of the Year at The Irish Times Business Awards, at a ceremony held at the Mansion House in Dublin.

The company, which was founded by Dubliner Sam Dennigan in 2015 with the aim of 'revolutionising' the frozen food category, has enjoyed significant success in recent years.

Having aggressively expanded into the UK, the company which specialises in healthy frozen vegetable product,s is now firmly focusing on cracking the US.

With products such as kale and quinoa burgers, roasted beetroot wedges and sweet potato fries, the company has already agreed deals with three major US chains to distribute its goods at more than 3,000 stores.

READ SOME MORE

The company’s products are currently available in about 4,000 stores globally with eight million packs sold since Strong Roots was established. Half of this total was sold last year. It expects revenues of about €20 million this year, growing to €100 million by the end of 2022.

In both Britain and Ireland, Strong Roots is stocked by all of the leading grocery retailers outside of the German discounters.

The other nominees for local enterprise of the year at the awards were East Coast Bakehouse, Diaceutics and Teeling Whiskey.

Other awards being distributed at the awards ceremony on Wednesday include business person of the year, chief financial officer of the year, deal of the year and distinguished leader in business for 2019.